[Rhodes22-list] Marines & Berkeley - More Political Scum

[Brad Haslett]

Robert,

Attached is a letter to the Berkeley newspaper from the Captain who runs the
USMC office there.  Written in October, it details the reasons for locating
there.  Berkeley is the worst of the Bay Area but by no means the only
lunatic city.  My son gets treated shabbily in Alameda while wearing a USCG
uniform.  I respect people's feelings against war in general and this war in
particular, though I disagree with their reasoning, but to treat anyone
wearing the uniform badly is just plain wrong.  These CodePinkers are
hopelessly stuck in the 60's and their behaviour now is just as disgusting
as it was in their youth. They have no more legal right to harass a
recruiting office than they do an insurance office or flower shop.  The city
council of Berkeley is obviously aiding and abetting these loons and they
should be held accountable, ie, cut off federal funding to Berkeley.
Perhaps then the 'sane and rational' citizens of Berkeley, assuming there
are some, will throw the bums out or suffer the consequences of their
decisions.

Brad

PS - Kudos to your grandson and the USMC!

---------------------
Commentary: An Open Letter to Code Pink * By Richard Lund (10-02-07) *


While the protest that you staged in front of my office on Wednesday, Sept.
26th, was an exercise of your constitutional rights, the messages that you
left behind were insulting, untrue, and ultimately misdirected.
Additionally, from the comments quoted in the Berkeley Daily Planet article,
it is clear that you have no idea what it is that I do here. Given that I
was unaware of your planned protest, I was unable to contest your claims in
person, so I will therefore address them here.

First, a little bit about who I am: I am a Marine captain with over eight
years of service as a commissioned officer. I flew transport helicopters for
most of my time in the Marine Corps before requesting orders to come here.
Currently, I am the officer selection officer for the northern Bay Area. My
job is to recruit, interview, screen, and evaluate college students and
college graduates that show an interest in becoming officers in the Marine
Corps. Once they've committed to pursuing this program, I help them apply,
and if selected, I help them prepare for the rigors of Officer Candidate
School and for the challenges of life as a Marine officer. To be eligible
for my programs, you have to be either a full-time college student or a
college graduate. I don't pull anyone out of school, and high school
students are not eligible.

I moved my office to Berkeley in December of last year. Previously, it was
located in an old federal building in Alameda. That building was due to be
torn down and I had to find a new location. I choose our new site because of
its proximity to UC Berkeley and to the BART station. Most of the candidates
in my program either go to Cal or to one of the schools in San Francisco,
the East Bay, or the North Bay. Logistically, the Shattuck Square location
was the most convenient for them.

Next, you claim that I lie. I have never, and will never, lie to any
individual that shows an interest in my programs. I am upfront with
everything that is involved at every step of the way and I go out of my way
to ensure that they know what to expect when they apply. I tell them that
this is not an easy path. I tell them that leading Marines requires a great
deal of self-sacrifice. I tell them that, should they succeed in their quest
to become a Marine officer, they will almost certainly go to Iraq. In the
future, if you plan to attack my integrity, please have the courtesy to
explain to me specifically the instances in which you think that I lied.

Next, scrawled across the doorway to my office, you wrote, "Recruiters are
Traitors." Please explain this one. How exactly am I a traitor? Was I a
traitor when I joined the Marine Corps all those years ago? Is every Marine,
therefore, a traitor? Was I a traitor during my two stints in Iraq? Was I a
traitor when I was delivering humanitarian aid to the victims of the tsunami
in Sumatra? Or do you only consider me a traitor while I am on this job? The
fact is, recruitment is and always has been a part of maintaining any
military organization. In fact, recruitment is a necessity of any large
organization. Large corporations have employees that recruit full-time. Even
you, I'm sure, must expend some effort to recruit for Code Pink. So what,
exactly, is it that makes me a traitor?

The fact is this: any independent nation must maintain a military (or be
allied with those who do) to ensure the safety and security of its citizens.
Regardless of what your opinions are of the current administration or the
current conflict in Iraq, the U.S. military will be needed again in the
future. If your counter-recruitment efforts are ultimately successful, who
will defend us if we are directly attacked again as we were at Pearl Harbor?
Who would respond if a future terrorist attack targets the Golden Gate
Bridge, the BART system, or the UC Berkeley clock tower? And, to address the
most hypocritical stance that your organization takes on its website, where
would the peace keeping force come from that you advocate sending to Darfur?

Finally, I believe that your efforts in protesting my office are
misdirected. I agree that your stated goals of peace and social justice are
worthy ones. War is a terrible thing that should only be undertaken in the
most dire, extreme, and necessary of circumstances. However, war is made by
politicians. The conflict in Iraq was ordered by the president and
authorized by Congress. They are the ones who have the power to change the
policy in Iraq, not members of the military. We execute policy to the best
of our ability and to the best of our human capacity. Protesting in front of
my office may be an easy way to get your organization in the headlines of
local papers, but it doesn't further any of your stated goals.

To conclude, I don't consider myself a "recruiter." I am a Marine who
happens to be on recruiting duty. As such, I conduct myself in accordance
with our core values of honor, courage, and commitment. I will never
sacrifice my honor by lying to anyone that walks into my office. I will
never forsake the courage that it takes to restrain myself in the face of
insulting and libelous labels like liar and traitor. And, most importantly,
I will never waver from my commitment to helping individuals who desire to
serve their country as officers in the Marine Corps.



Captain Richard Lund is the United States Marine Corps' officer selection
officer for the northern Bay Area.



On Feb 2, 2008 9:47 PM, Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com> wrote:

> As my grandson said on his way to his third
> tour in Iraq as a LtCol USMC, "Just another
> day at the office."
>
> I hope that the USMC takes no official notice
> of this foolishness.
>
> /Robert
> ----------------------------------------------
> Brad Haslett wrote:
> >
> > Robert,
> >
> > Here's an update on Berkeley-
> >
> >
> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/02/BALTUQKOE.DTL
> >
> > I posted the link rather than the text so you can see the photos.
> > Yesterday, protesters chained themselves to the door of the Marine
> > recruiting office for 7 and 1/2 HOURS!  Since when is it legal to close
> down
> > a business and where are the Berkeley police for 7 and 1/2 hours?
> > Congresswoman Lee protested Sen. Demints proposal to de-fund Berkeley by
> > saying it wasn't right to deprive children of lunches and citizens of
> first
> > responders.  I'd say these people don't need to be having children and
> if it
> > takes over 7 hours for the police to respond, they don't need them
> either.
> >
> > Brad
> >
> > On Jan 31, 2008 6:59 PM, Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Sorry to hear about this stupidity - but it looks as
> > > though the Leathernecks picked a poor beachhead.
> > >
> > > Any town that does not welcome the Marines does not
> > > deserve them.  What kind of dweeb confuses the loyal
> > > Marines with the leadership and policies that they are
> > > sworn to follow?
> > >
> > > I, for one, am damned glad to have a fellow Marine
> > > next to me under any circumstances, whether or not we
> > > share political views.
> > >
> > > /Robert
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Brad Haslett wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Boys and girls, here is a perfect opportunity to solve our energy
> > > problem.
> > > > I say we take spent nuclear fuel and dump it right smack in the
> center
> > > of
> > > > Berkeley.  That, or pull every last federal dollar out of that scum
> > > infested
> > > > city.  Brad
> > > >
> > > > ----------------------------
> > > >
> > > > Berkeley council tells Marines to leave
> > > > By Doug Oakley
> > > >
> > > > STAFF WRITER
> > > > Article Launched: 01/30/2008 01:48:16 PM PST
> > > >
> > > > Hey-hey, ho-ho, the Marines in Berkeley have got to go.
> > > >
> > > > That's the message from the Berkeley City Council, which voted 8-1
> > > Tuesday
> > > > night to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting
> > > station
> > > > "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they
> do
> > > so as
> > > > uninvited and unwelcome intruders."
> > > >
> > > > In addition, the council voted to explore enforcing its law
> prohibiting
> > > > discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation against the
> Marines
> > > > because of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. And it
> > > officially
> > > > encouraged the women's peace group Code Pink to impede the work of
> the
> > > > Marines in the city by protesting in front of the station.
> > > >
> > > > In a separate item, the council voted 8-1 to give Code Pink a
> designated
> > > > parking space in front of the recruiting station once a week for six
> > > months
> > > > and a free sound permit for protesting once a week from noon to 4
> p.m.
> > > >
> > > > Councilman Gordon Wozniak opposed both items.
> > > >
> > > > The Marines have been in Berkeley for a little more than a year,
> having
> > > > moved from Alameda in December of 2006. For about the past four
> months,
> > > Code
> > > > Pink has been protesting in front of the station.
> > > >
> > > > "I believe in the Code Pink cause. The Marines don't belong here,
> they
> > > > shouldn't have come here, and they should leave," said Berkeley
> Mayor
> > > Tom
> > > > Bates after votes were cast.
> > > >
> > > > A Marines representative did not respond to requests for comment.
> > > >
> > > > The resolution telling the Marines they are unwelcome and directing
> the
> > > city
> > > > attorney to explore
> > > > ------------------------------
> > > > ------------------------------
> > > > issues of sexual orientation discrimination was brought to the
> council
> > > by
> > > > the city's Peace and Justice commission.
> > > >
> > > > The recommendation to give Code Pink a parking space for protesting
> and
> > > a
> > > > free sound permit was brought by council members Linda Maio and Max
> > > > Anderson.
> > > >
> > > > Code Pink on Wednesday started circulating petitions to put a
> measure on
> > > the
> > > > November ballot in Berkeley that would make it more difficult to
> open
> > > > military recruiting offices near homes, parks, schools, churches
> > > libraries
> > > > or health clinics. The group needs 5,000 signatures to make the
> ballot.
> > > >
> > > > Even though the council items passed, not everyone is happy with the
> > > work of
> > > > Code Pink. Some employees and owners of businesses near the Marines
> > > office
> > > > have had enough of the group and its protests.
> > > >
> > > > "My husband's business is right upstairs, and this (protesting) is
> > > bordering
> > > > on harassment," Dori Schmidt told the council. "I hope this stops."
> > > >
> > > > An employee of a nearby business who asked not to be identified said
> > > > Wednesday the elderly Code Pink protesters are aggressive, take up
> > > parking
> > > > spaces, block the sidewalk with their yoga moves, smoke in the
> doorways,
> > > and
> > > > are noisy.
> > > >
> > > > "Most of the people around here think they're a joke," the woman
> said.
> > > >
> > > > Wozniak said he was opposed to giving Code Pink a parking space
> because
> > > it
> > > > favors free speech rights of one group over another.
> > > >
> > > > "There's a line between protesting and harassing, and that concerns
> me,"
> > > > Wozniak said. "It looks like we are showing favoritism. We have to
> > > respect
> > > > the other side, and not abuse their rights. This is not good
> policy."
> > > >
> > > > Ninety-year-old Fran Rachel, a Code Pink protester who spoke at the
> > > council
> > > > meeting, said the group's request for a parking space and noise
> permit
> > > was
> > > > especially important because the Marines are recruiting soldiers who
> may
> > > die
> > > > in an unjust war.
> > > >
> > > > "This is very serious," Rachel said. "This isn't a game; it's mass
> > > murder.
> > > > There's a sickness of silence of people not speaking out against the
> > > war. We
> > > > have to do this."
> > > >
> > > > Anderson, a former Marine who said he was "drummed out" of the corps
> > > when he
> > > > took a stand against the Vietnam War, said he'd love to see the
> Marines
> > > high
> > > > tale it out of town.
> > > >
> > > > "We are confronted with an organization that can spend billions of
> > > dollars
> > > > on propaganda," Anderson said. "This is not Okinawa here; we're
> involved
> > > in
> > > > a naked act of aggression. If we can provide a space for ordinary
> people
> > > to
> > > > express themselves against this kind of barbarity, then we should be
> > > doing
> > > > it."
> > > >
> > > > E-mail Doug Oakley at doakley at bayareanewsgroup.com
> > > > __________________________________________________
> > > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > > --
> > > Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven"
> > > Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
> > > s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."
> > > __________________________________________________
> > > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
> > >
> > __________________________________________________
> > Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
> --
> Robert Skinner  "Squirrel Haven"
> Gorham, Maine         04038-1331
> s/v "Little Dipper" & "Edith P."
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>